Australia achieves an impressive victory against England, chasing down 356 runs to secure their first win at the Champions Trophy in Lahore.
Inglis finished with an unbeaten 120 off 86 balls, which included eight fours and six sixes, as Australia successfully reached 356-5 in just 47.3 overs on Saturday.
This chase marks the highest-ever successful run chase in all ICC ODI tournaments.
Inglis’ outstanding performance surpassed Ben Duckett’s 165, the previously highest individual score in Champions Trophy history, which had anchored England to a score of 351-8 in their Group B opener.
Australia’s pursuit started shakily as Jofra Archer and Mark Wood dismissed Travis Head and Steven Smith early on. However, Matthew Short and Marnus Labuschagne stepped up with a 95-run partnership, overcoming initial setbacks.
Adil Rashid and Liam Livingstone made pivotal contributions by dismissing Labuschagne and Short respectively. Despite the challenges, Inglis and Alex Carey masterfully orchestrated the run chase, capitalizing on the dew and the bowlers’ difficulty with the wet ball. Their partnership of 146 runs, spanning 116 balls, brought Australia closer to victory until Carey was dismissed by a drive to Buttler at mid-off.
Australia’s Glenn Maxwell contributed to the final push alongside Inglis, ensuring their victory.
Ben Duckett set a Champions Trophy record with his 165 off 143 balls, including 17 fours and three sixes, showcasing his dominance against the pace bowlers and resilience against Adam Zampa, Australia’s standout bowler (2-64).
Australia, without key players like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc, still managed to strike early through Ben Dwarshuis’ breakthroughs and splended catches by Alex Carey, including a sensational diving catch to dismiss Phil Salt and Jamie Smith.
The England batting lineup saw a resurgence, with Duckett and Joe Root (68 off 78 balls) forming the first century partnership in ODIs this year. Despite losing Root via an Adam Zampa delivery, Duckett continued his aggressive innings, aiming for quicker runs alongside Buttler and Livingstone before Archer’s explosive cameo and Zampa’s two-run contribution off the final three balls.
